Henry Makes No Roy Promises

Liverpool owner John W Henry is making no guarantees about Roy Hodgson's long-term future at the club.

Hodgson, who took the Liverpool hotseat in July, has come under fire in recent weeks following the Reds' dismal start to the season, with the Merseyside club currently sitting 13th in the Premier League table.

American Henry, who took over at Anfield last month with his company New England Sports Ventures, says there are no immediate plans for a change in management, and when asked if under-pressure Hodgson was the right man for the job he told Sky Sports News: "He certainly is at this point."

However, the owner added: "I can't make any promises about the future for anything in the organization because two months ago I didn't know that much about English football.

"We tend to stay with our managers and our general managers. Roy didn't build this team so I think he has been unfairly criticized this year.

"I think it is my role at this point to support him in every way, to make sure he has the resources to accomplish what he wants to accomplish. There is no change that is imminent."

Pulis Cools Lucas Links

Stoke boss Tony Pulis has played down rumours linking him with a move for Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva.

Recent reports have suggested the Potters are weighing up a bid for the Brazilian when the transfer window reopens in January.

Stoke were linked with Lucas in the last transfer window, but the player remained at Anfield.

However, speculation over his future refuses to go away with the midfielder yet to establish himself as a regular in Roy Hodgson's plans.

Pulis has denied making any enquiries about Lucas, claiming he has not held any discussions with Hodgson since he took over at Anfield.

"I haven't spoken to Roy since he went to Liverpool," Pulis told the Stoke Sentinel.

Cleo In Dark Over Reds Talk

Partizan Belgrade star Cleo admits he is in the dark about reports linking him with a move to Liverpool.

Reports have suggested the Reds are considering a move for the Brazilian striker as they bolster their attacking options in the January transfer window.

However, Cleo, who has scored against Arsenal in this season's Champions League, is not reading too much into the speculation.

"Liverpool? I heard something about this story... Well, I actually read about it on the internet," Cleo told Blic.

"But nobody has talked with me about this. But of course in football you never know what tomorrow will bring to you.

"Just two years ago I had a trial at Lens, but then I signed for Red Star Belgrade.

"Back then I was too costly for Lens, but now I'm at club, which plays in the Champions League. So you really never know what will happen.

"I don't want to think too much about my future.

"Who knows where would I be now, if I had signed for Lens."

Henry Wants Squad Depth

Liverpool owner John W Henry has pinpointed the squad's lack of strength in depth and emerging stars as one of the club's main problems.

The Reds are considered one of the Premier League's giants, but they have gone 20 years since their last title success and have struggled in recent campaigns.

Liverpool have found themselves lagging behind the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal not only in terms of success on the pitch but revenue streams off it.

However, Henry has a long-term vision for the Reds and sees strengthening in Roy Hodgson's squad as one of the main priorities.

Liverpool appointed Spurs' former director of football Damien Comolli this week to help and he believes the Frenchman will help the team achieve their goal.

"We're not deep enough. We don't have enough youth," he told Sky Sports News.

"If you look at Manchester United and Arsenal they have depth.

"They have relative young teams and that's something that he (Comolli) can help us with."

Some believe the addition of Comolli could undermine Hodgson's authority, however, Henry insists the ex-Fulham boss wanted the position filling.

When asked if Comolli's arrival would undermine Hodgson, Henry replied: "No, not at all.

"When I first met with Roy it was really clear that he wanted someone in that position, so I really didn't talk that much with Roy over the week or so before we made the decision to bring Damien in.

"So I think he may have been surprised when I brought it up, but he's fully supportive. He knows Damien. I think the model really requires people of certain personalities for it to work and Roy and Damien are two personalities that will mesh well together.

"It will be a group decision. You build consensus. I think it's a very good model, but though each will be in charge of their own areas.

"We're still building a team. We're in the middle of building that. We may make some mistakes early on, but we're going to try and avoid that and we're studying every day."

Former owners Tim Hicks and George Gillett ran Liverpool into spiralling debts and Henry insists the new American regime will not fall into the same traps.

Henry also owns Major League Baseball team the Boston Red Sox and helped bring success to the famous club and acknowledges investment is needed at Anfield.

The 61-year-old knows that a new stadium is preferable in the long run as opposed to refurbishing Anfield if they are to compete with the Premier League's leading clubs in terms of revenue with Fifa's Fair Play rules set to come into force.

"We really have to invest in the club. We need more depth. We need to build the squad," he continued.

"We need stadium changes, whether we build a new ground in Stanley Park or we rebuild and refurbish Anfield. If you build a stadium there's debt involved in that. Even Arsenal had to borrow to build Emirates. You cannot sustain a club in the long term to buy players.

"You're really limited to what your revenues are. That means we have to create revenues worldwide. We have to generate revenues and that's what we're really good at.

"When we went to Boston we spent three years trying to figure out whether to build a new stadium or refurbish the new one.

"We need to move faster. Hopefully within a year, but I don't want to set a hard-fast timeline when we'll make that decision. If you're going to build a new ground that takes time."

Ancelotti Keen On Gerrard Link

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has declared he would like to manage Steven Gerrard one day as he prepares to instead nullify the Liverpool captain in their Premier League clash at Anfield on Sunday.

Ancelotti wasn't launching a transfer move for Gerrard, but simply outlining his admiration and respect for the England midfielder, who is coming off a stunning hat-trick in the Europa League as a substitute in Liverpool's 3-1 win over Napoli.

Ancelotti knows three points at Anfield will help Chelsea maintain their five-point lead at the Premier League summit. But this time, with Liverpool in the midst of a mini-revival after a poor start to the season, Ancelotti knows a revitalized Gerrard will only help to inspire them.

Gerrard was the catalyst for Liverpool's comeback from 3-0 down against Ancelotti's AC Milan side in the 2005 Champions league final in Istanbul. The Reds won on penalties but Ancelotti gained revenge in Athens in the 2007 final by beating Liverpool 2-1.

Ancelotti highlighted Gerrard as the main threat to Chelsea and paid him the ultimate professional compliment by saying he would like to work with him one day.

When asked why he would like to manage him, Ancelotti replied: "Because he's one of the best players in the world. If you can manage the best players, it's easier to win. I don't know him as a person. I think he's a good man. But the reason I would like to manage him is because I've managed a lot of fantastic players, and he's one of the best players.

"He plays in a very dangerous position for us, a little bit behind Fernando Torres. We have to control that position during the game because he'll be able to give passes to Torres for the final pass, and will also be dangerous shooting from distance. It will be important for us not to give him the chances to play with that space. It's not just important that John Obi Mikel has good control of that position, but also the other midfielders have to support him and control Gerrard.

"I think Gerrard knows very well the tradition and history of the club. He's happy to wear the shirt. The shirt is 'inside' him. For this reason, it's important for the other players to have a team-mate who is a 'Liverpool player'. It's the same with John Terry at Chelsea. They're very good examples for the young players or those who arrive in the new team. They show the right behaviour of what is expected of them as a Liverpool or Chelsea player.''

When quizzed over where he would like to manage him - at Liverpool, Chelsea or England - Ancelotti replied: "I don't know.''

The Italian remains without the services of England midfielder Frank Lampard for the trip to Merseyside and Ghana international Michael Essien is doubtful with a toe problem. But France winger Florent Malouda has recovered from his twisted ankle and is fit to play.

Lampard last played in the 2-0 win over Stoke at the end of August. He had hernia surgery initially but has since been plagued by a hamstring problem since then.

"Lampard is not available for this game,'' said Ancelotti.”We have to take our time again. We didn't want to take a risk. He's done plenty of training alone, so the next step is training with his team-mates, which he'll start at the beginning of next week. I hope he'll be ready for Sunderland. We have a little problem with Essien's toe and we're not sure he'll be fit. I'm hopeful he can play.''

Liverpool Owner Keen On 39th Game Plan

Liverpool co-owner Tom Werner has revived talk of a controversial 39th Premier League game to be played overseas.

The concept was met with criticism when it was initially suggested by Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore, with a number of fans and clubs voicing their disapproval. Fifa president Sepp Blatter also condemned the proposals, but Werner, who bought Liverpool last month along with John W Henry of New England Sports Ventures, believes the idea could still have legs.

As well as Liverpool, NESV also owns the Boston Red Sox baseball team and, after witnessing another NFL gridiron game at Wembley, Werner believes the Premier League could succeed overseas.

He told BBC Sport: "I think that first of all the EPL is the strongest league in the world and its reach is global. It's been very impressive to me the number of people globally who watch the EPL and we hope to expand that imprint.

"I think that the more important the game the more excitement. Friendlies are great, but why not have an actual match in season."

Werner also assured Liverpool's fans that he and Henry are determined to bring success back to Anfield. The club have not won the league since 1990 and have seen their haul of 18 titles equalled by Manchester United, whose manager Sir Alex Ferguson has successfully carried out his promise to knock Liverpool off their perch.

Reclaiming the mantle of England's most successful club is something that excites Werner, and he has drawn comparisons between how the Red Sox have managed to close the gap between themselves and the New York Yankees.

"I think that would be a good comparison," he added. "The Yankees continue to have the best revenues in baseball but we have been successful in playing them head-to-head and we expect to play Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal and other clubs head-to-head.

"There will be trophies in that trophy case going forward. It's a pledge. I don't know when we will honour that pledge but we will honour it. We're going to make steady progress. We're in a very competitive league but we won't settle for anything less than first."

Some Liverpool fans have welcomed the arrival of Henry and Werner with scepticism after the ill-fated reign of their fellow countrymen Tom Hicks and George Gillett, but Werner assured them that there is nothing to worry about. "I understand their caution. John and I are men of our words," he said.

"There's no acquisition debt on the club, there is a bit of stadium debt, that's understandable.

"Any profits we make going forward will be invested in the club.

Dalglish Wows Crowds In Belfast

Kenny Dalglish was the guest of honour as hundreds of fans turned out to witness the Liverpool legend officially open the new club store in Belfast on Friday morning.

The Reds' Academy Ambassador was overwhelmed by the number of supporters that flocked to the new 2,000 sq ft unit on Castle Lane in the heart of the city's shopping district and was quick to point out the importance of what is now Liverpool's fifth official store.

"They must have thought it was Steven or Fernando coming here! When they find out it's me they may be disappointed!" joked Dalglish.

"But I do think it's an important thing for the club to get out and see as many people as they possibly can, especially the ones that can't come to us.

"It's nice that there has been such a big turnout here. The shop can be a fantastic success and is only going to benefit the Football Club. It gives the people of Northern Ireland the opportunity to feel a little bit closer to us.

"There are plans to open other facilities in Dublin and Oslo as well, so it's all very positive."

The store's opening comes just 48 hours before Sunday's Barclays Premier League clash with leaders Chelsea.

Roy Hodgson's men head into the showdown having won their last three matches, and while many observers have suggested the Blues look unstoppable this season, Dalglish remains confident Liverpool can continue their recent run.

He said: "They'll come to Anfield and they'll be worried about Liverpool. Everything has settled down a bit now. We've got the new owners and Roy (Hodgson) has been here a bit longer too, so he has gotten to know the players a bit better. I think Sunday could be a good day for us."

He added: "If you finish above Chelsea you are going to be champions. They look the favourites to win the league. When you play against them you need to be concentrated for the 90 minutes. You can't nod off because they will just punish you.

"I actually think Ashley Cole is a big threat for them. It might sound stupid talking about a left-back, but he just bombs forward while others fill in for him.

"It'll be a difficult game but it's also a difficult game for Chelsea."

Liverpool FC Appoint Tom Werner As Chairman

Tom Werner is the new chairman of Liverpool Football Club.

The 60-year-old’s position was clarified yesterday at a New England Sports Ventures (NESV) briefing in London.

The LFC co-owner is expected to take a very hands-on role at Anfield, as part of his top executive role.

No formal announcement was made declaring Werner as chairman, contrary to some reports.

But the position of certain members within NESV was clarified as the make-up of the Reds board starts to take shape.

Effectively, the position that executives hold within the Boston conglomerate set-up will directly transfer across to Liverpool.

John W Henry will remain as owner in chief and take a position on the board.

More indications about the new owners’ views on a Liverpool stadium were made yesterday.

It is thought the Americans could wait up to two years before deciding whether to build a new ground in Stanley Park, or redevelop existing Anfield, although no commitments have been made.

The news about Werner’s appointment is set to hurry along the departure of current Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton from Anfield.

That will come as no surprise as the British Airways boss openly stated he was brought in to the club to solely oversee its sale.

At present, Broughton remains at the club, but he has a post at Sports Investment Partners (SIP) already lined up, which he will shortly embark upon.

Liverpool was sold to John W Henry, owner of the Boston Red Sox, last month for £300m, in a rollercoaster battle with the much-maligned former co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

The decision comes just days after the assignment of new scouting boss Damien Comolli, brought in to oversee Liverpool’s transfer policy.

The Liverpool board is now starting to take shape, with Werner joined by NESV executives David Ginsberg and Michael Gordon.

No limit has been set for the number of directors who will form the final make-up of the Anfield board.

Liverpool-born Ian Ayre remains in the frame, while a chief executive to replace the departed Christian Purslow is still needed, and the global recruitment process to find his successor is ongoing.

Match Report: Liverpool 3 - 1 Napoli

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard came to his side's aid once again as his late hat-trick inspired the side to a Europa League victory against Napoli which highlighted the gulf in class within the squad.

The Reds were deservedly behind to Ezequiel Lavezzi's goal after a dire first-half performance but the England midfielder's introduction at the interval changed the dynamic.

Gerrard, as he always has, led from the front and scored three goals in the final 15 minutes to extend Liverpool's lead at the top of Group K.

It also made it two wins and two draws in the last four matches and ensured the side's mini-revival did not come crashing to an end before it had chance to gather momentum.

That Gerrard made such a difference highlighted the deficiencies on the playing staff at Anfield, with the side operating the vast majority of the second half with five central midfielders in a variety of other positions.

The captain put the rest of his team-mates to shame.

Newly-appointed director of football strategy Damien Comolli, watching alongside owner John Henry, must be wondering how he is expected to bring in talent to match that of Gerrard's, such was the midfielder's influence on the game.

But both Henry and Comolli would have been disappointed with how quickly Liverpool were put on the back foot by the lively visitors in the first half.

Equally worrying was the number of times they gave the ball away, a failing which ultimately cost them as one such occasion led to Napoli's goal.

Lavezzi looked dangerous from the start and his shot forced a corner off Paul Konchesky, with his next intervention releasing Edinson Cavani through the inside-left channel only for the Uruguayan to blaze over.

The provider was slightly closer himself when he seized on a misplaced pass by Jonjo Shelvey to run at the Liverpool defence and fire a shot just wide of Jose Reina's left-hand post.

Pressure was starting to build and Glen Johnson, returning from a thigh injury after a four-match absence, was the first player to be booked for hacking at the back of Cavani's legs before the Reds cracked in the 28th minute.

Christian Poulsen's aimless back-header in the centre circle was picked up by Cavani on the left and he slipped a pass through to Lavezzi who calmly steered the ball under Reina, sparking wild celebrations for the visiting fans - many of whom had managed to acquire tickets in a corner of the main stand.

The response was for David Ngog to stab wide from Poulsen's pass and Johnson to force a regulation save out of Morgan de Sanctis.

But manager Roy Hodgson had already seen enough and sent Gerrard out to warm-up 10 minutes before the interval, with the captain reappearing for the second half at the expense of Milan Jovanovic.

It took just 11 seconds for Gerrard to get into the game, winning a tackle with typical aggression before moments later inducing a foul from Andrea Dossena which earned the former Liverpool defender a booking.

The England midfielder's presence had certainly had the desired effect, even if it did mean the side now had even less width with five central midfielders on the field.

Ngog and Shelvey wasted chances before Meireles missed the target from eight yards after latching on to Ngog's loose pass.

Gerrard curled a free-kick just wide from the edge of the penalty area but it was his sheer determination which brought the equaliser in the 75th minute.

Shelvey's run appeared to be petering out when Dossena did his former club - where he endured a miserable time - a huge favour by diverting the ball towards De Sanctis.

Gerrard sensed an opportunity and charged in with his lunge enough to divert the ball past the goalkeeper.

Salvatore Aronica's 88th-minute trip on Johnson presented the captain with a penalty to double his tally and he duly obliged.

In the directors' box Henry punched the air but he had barely sat down before Gerrard completed his hat-trick and sealed the victory, cleverly dinking the ball over De Sanctis from substitute Lucas Leiva's through-ball.

Steven Gerrard Hails Liverpool's Second Half Fightback In 3-1 Win Over Napoli

Steven Gerrard believes that Liverpool are slowly finding their form after his hat-trick earned the Reds a 3-1 Europa League win over Napoli.

Gerrard came off the substitutes bench to inspire a much improved second half display after the Italians had held the advantage in the first half.

However, Gerrard struck three times in short succession to move Liverpool one step closer to qualification from the group stages.

The Liverpool captain admits his first goal and Liverpool’s equalizer displayed more characteristics of grit and determination rather than skill but was just pleased to draw Liverpool level.

“The manager asked me to come on and see if I could help the lads get back in it and I thought in the second half we were fantastic,” Gerrard told Channel Five.

“When you’re in that position against a giant of a goalkeeper you just go in and hope for the best, it was just determination and desire really and I don’t think the 'keeper fancied it.

The skipper was also full of praise for the clubs’ youngsters, such as Jonjo Shelvey and Jay Spearing, who were given their chance to impress in front of the Anfield crowd.

He added: “It’s a fantastic experience for them, a great run out and credit to the manager for having the bottle and heart to put them in because these are big nights here at Anfield but I thought they did well again.

“In Napoli we put in a good defensive display and we have built on that and got back to back league wins and come from behind tonight to show good character, there is still a long way to go, we know we can get better.

"It’s going to take time but we feel as if we are getting close to where we want to be.”

Liverpool Owe A Debt Of Gratitude To Steven Gerrard, Says Roy Hodgson

Roy Hodgson believes everyone at Liverpool - not least himself - owes Steven Gerrard a debt of gratitude after the England international’s 14-minute hat-trick averted a morale-sapping defeat at home to Napoli in front of new owner John W Henry and director of football Damien Comolli.

Gerrard emerged as a second-half substitute with Liverpool trailing to a strike from the Argentine international Ezequiel Lavezzi but produced the fourth treble of his career - bundling home after a mistake by Andrea Dossena, coolly converting a penalty after a foul on Glen Johnson and brilliantly chipping home his third - to leave the Premier League side needing just a point to qualify for the knockout rounds of the Europa League.

Though Hodgson admitted in an ideal world he would not have needed to call on his captain to rescue the game, he was effusive in his praise of a performance which he believed encapsulates everything which makes Gerrard Liverpool’s spiritual leader.

“It was a real leader’s performance,” said Hodgson. “In the second half his entry on to the field was a catalyst. It galvanised the crowd and the team and I thought the way he scored the first goal epitomised the energy and the spirit the team showed in the second half.

“That goal was not pretty, but we had missed plenty of chances after pretty play. It was a captain’s goal, the goal of a guy who wanted to get his team back into the game and who was determined, even at the risk of injury, to get the ball into the goal.

“That is appreciated by me, all of the staff here and by the incredible crowd we had. We owe a big debt of gratitude to him but he would be the first to join me and say it was a good team performance in the second half. We deserved to win the game.”

Though Hodgson suggested it would be harsh to suggest it was the first time he had seen the best of Gerrard since taking charge at Anfield, the player’s insistence that the club are still very much a work in progress could, in truth, apply to his form this campaign too.

“Every game is a battle at the moment,” Gerrard said of his team’s form. “It started in Naples with a good defensive display and we have built from that with back-to-back league wins and now coming from behind to win. But there is still a long way to go and we know we can play better. It is a building process with a new manager, a lot of new faces and new ideas. It will take time, but we are getting close to where we want to be.”

Liverpool Target Brazilian Striker As £10 million Torres Partner

Liverpool are being linked with a January move for CSKA Moscow striker Vagner Love.

The Brazilian international forward is thought to be out-of-favour at the Russian club, returning home for loan spells at Palmeiras and Flamengo in the past two seasons.

Love joined CSKA in 2004, and has an impressive goalscoring record for the Koni. In six seasons, the striker has hit 97 goals in 185 appearances for the Russian Premier League side.

Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson is thought to be in the market for a striker, and the Reds have been linked with Carlton Cole, Peter Crouch, Fernando Llorente and Antonio Cassano to name just four player in the last week.

The former Fulham boss has been promised money to spend by new owners NESV, with Liverpool thought to have a January transfer war chest in the region of £35 million.

Hodgson has hinted at potentially 'five or six' additions at Anfield in the opening month of 2011, and a foil for Fernando Torres is thought to be a priority.

Liverpool were first linked with Love in 2009, when the News of the World reported that Everton and Spurs were also interested in bringing the Brazilian international to the Premier League.

The link has gone quiet over the past 18 months, but FootyLatest now place Liverpool back in the race to sign the mercurial player.

Whilst the value of the player is up for debate, Liverpool will need to pay in the region of £10 million to bring the player to Merseyside.

Liverpool Line Up Spain Star As Torres Replacement

Liverpool are set to move for Athletic Bilbao star Fernando Llorente if they lose Fernando Torres in January.

Speculation is rife that Torres will quit Anfield in the middle of another disappointing campaign, with Manchester City, Chelsea and Barcelona all linked with him.

Liverpool won't allow that to happen without having a replacement lined up, and Torres' international understudy is the man at the top of their list.

Former Tottenham director of football Damien Comolli has just been appointed to a similar role at Anfield and he will know he faces the unenviable task of possibly replacing Kop idol Torres as one of his first jobs.

And Llorente is the man most likely. The 6ft 5in striker, who has scored seven times in 12 appearances for Spain, is nicknamed 'the Lion King' in Spain and has a growing reputation both in La Liga and around Europe.

But if the Reds are to pull off a deal for the 25-year-old, new owners New England Sports Ventures may have to meet the €36million buy-out clause in his Bilbao contract.

Liverpool Linked With Move For Tottenham’s £8m Forgotten Man

Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson is being linked with a move to sign Tottenham’s forgotten man David Bentley. The 26 year old attack minded midfielder has not started a minute of Premier League football for the White Hart Lane club and is now desperately looking for a lifeline to resurrect his ailing career.

Rafa Benitez was strongly linked with a move for the former England man during his reign at Anfield and with the Merseyside club suffering a woeful start to the campaign Hodgson has already stated he would like to bring in five or six new signings in January and a move for the Spurs flair player may make a great deal of sense.

There were signs in the second half of last season that Harry Redknapp had faith in Bentley and as a result the former Arsenal man started 19 games as he helped the north London club to a top four finish. However this season his only action has come in a Carling Cup encounter and he appears to have no future at the club.

The likes of Aston Villa and Blackburn Rovers have been heavily linked with a move for the Peterborough born attacker but perhaps he would jump at the chance of reigniting his career at Liverpool. Whilst Bentley’s time at Tottenham could lead to many believing that he has been a flop he is still young enough to turn his career around and showed in patches last term what he is capable of and the £8m rated playmaker may be worth taking a calculated gamble on?

Dirk Kuyt Hopeful Of Being Fit For Liverpool’s Clash With Chelsea

Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt is pushing to face Chelsea on Sunday after three weeks on the sidelines.

The 30-year-old has made a quicker than expected recovery from ankle ligament damage and will resume full training today.

Kuyt was injured on international duty with Holland last month and it was initially feared he could be out for a lengthy period.

Kuyt said: “I have worked really hard with the medical team.

“I am quite happy with them because I have recovered quickly. I have trained really hard and am ready to start team training.”

When asked about this weekend’s Barclays Premier League clash against Chelsea at Anfield, he added: “It depends on how the next couple of days go.

“Hopefully the team training will be okay and at the end of the day it will be up to the manager.”

Liverpool have endured a difficult start to the season, after collecting just six points from their opening eight league games under new manager Roy Hodgson.

That period was also overshadowed by an acrimonious takeover saga but, with that issue now resolved and the last three games won, Kuyt is optimistic.

He said: “It is always difficult when things change but in football these days, these things happen. You just have to cope with it.

“It is always easy, when things aren’t going the way you want them to, to look for excuses but those things are behind us now.

“It is very positive we have the new owners and it is very positive we have won the last two (league) games.”

Kuyt has also given his full backing to under-pressure boss Hodgson.

“We could all see last year how good a job the manager did at Fulham,” said Kuyt, whose car was damaged by a police horse on arrival at Anfield tonight.

“We are working really hard to reach the same thing as he did at Fulham.

“I think it is going well, every week it is going better. I think the team is getting more used to each other.

“We also have a few new players, so the future is bright.”

Liverpool Could Do With Damien Comolli Unearthing Another Two Gareth Bales

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson hopes that the club's newly appointed director of football strategy, Damien Comolli, can unearth a couple of Gareth Bales for him.

The Frenchman was previously a director of football at Tottenham Hotspur, and is thought to have been the brains behind the signings of Bale, Luka Modric, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Dimitar Berbatov - who is now at Manchester United - among others.

And the Reds boss hopes that Comolli can produce similar results on Merseyside.

Hodgson said on the club's official website: "If it's true that Gareth Bale is a player he spotted and brought through then we'll be happy if he can produce one or two more of them for us!

"The matter of player recruitment is of vital importance to clubs today. It becomes more important every year. And in Damien Comolli we have a person who has great experience at player recruitment.

"He'll have to look very carefully at the players who are being identified and recruited for the reserve team and academy as well."

The former Fulham boss insists that he will hold discussions with Comolli to better the depth of his squad, as he feels what he currently has is inadequate for his purposes.

He said: "I'm not sure our strength in depth is as good as it needs to be and that will be a very important conversation we'll be having in the coming days: what can be done to make our squad a bit stronger than it is?

"If you compare us to some of the squads we'd like to be competing against, theirs go a bit deeper."

However, the gaffer complimented some of his younger players for rising to the challenge, pinpointing diminutive midfielder Jay Spearing for some praise.

He added: "But those who have been thrown in have kept our heads above water.

"Take a guy like Jay Spearing. I think he's played in every single Europa League game so far. It's good to know that people like that are getting a chance to show what they can do and play regular football."

Match Preview: Liverpool vs Napoli

Napoli are the next arrivals at Anfield as the Europa League beckons once more, Liverpool will be looking to make it a third win in a row as Roy Hodgson samples an upturn in form, if not an upturn in popularity.

With one eye on the visit of Chelsea at the weekend, the likes of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres could well be rested once more although Hodgson remained tight lipped on the subject, preferring to “add a little excitement” as to who would take the field with the side already informed.

The medical room at Melwood will retain the injured Joe Cole (hamstring), Daniel Agger (calf) and Dirk Kuyt (ankle) with the in form Soto Kyrgiakos nursing a minor knock, he faces a race to be deemed fit along with Ryan Babel and Glen Johnson, who has missed the last four games.

Liverpool currently top Group K in the Europa League with five points gained from three games played and manager Roy Hodgson believes that four points from their remaining three fixtures will be enough to advance to the knockout stages of the competition. With the fixture at Anfield and the travel element ruled out which can often have an impact, Hodgson looks set to field a stronger side than in previous European outings.

Former Red, Andrea Dossena will make a return to Anfield for the visitors as he looks set to start to try and make an impact on the left flank.

“I think if we can get four more points we’ll be pretty much secure for a place in the next round as I can see the other games being tight,” he commented.

“We got one of the tougher groups with Napoli, Steaua and Utrecht and on paper it looked even, but we’ve done what we’ve needed to do.

“We’ll have a strong team out on Thursday, we won’t rest too many.”

On the current injuries that the team is carrying, Hodgson provided a little further insight:

“The injury situation is gradually improving. Glen Johnson has been training since the start of the week, which is very positive. Dirk Kuyt and Fabio Aurelio are still training separately, or in Daniel Agger’s case not at all.

“He has a fairly serious calf problem and will travel to London today to see another specialist for a second opinion.

“But when it comes to Aurelio and Kuyt, they are both out on the training field, training individually trying to get over their injuries.

“Ryan Babel has actually trained with us as well since the start of the week, despite the severe bruising on his ribs.

“He has done well to get back as quickly as he has done because bruised ribs are a tricky injury because if you take another bang on them it can be very, very painful.

“I’m not certain about his participation on Thursday night, but at least he’s back in training and could certainly be ready for the weekend.”

“Brad Jones is another slight injury worry we have, but again I think a lot of these players will be fit for the weekend game against Chelsea and that means we’ve got a pretty large squad to choose from Thursday night.

“I think the team we put out on Thursday will be regarded on paper as a stronger team, I just hope it’s a stronger team on the field of play because the team that played in Napoli did very well.”

With new owners NESV in town and attending the game, hopefully it will be another European night to remember for the Reds. John Henry’s wife Linda Pizzuti was making some preparations of her own this evening as she again took time out on Twitter to catch up with Liverpool fans ahead of seeing her first game, making sure she was up to speed on the Anfield songbook. A lady is who becoming a breath of fresh air and applauded in her own right.

Liverpool Prepare Move For Italian Jewel'

Liverpool is being linked with a January move for Italian international striker Antonio Cassano.

Nicknamed 'the jewel of Old Bari', Cassano appears certain to make a Sampdoria exit in January after a major bust-up with president Ricardo Garrone.

The Italian international is reported to have verbally abused Garrone, and after looking into the possibility of terminating his contract the club is thought to be set to sell him immediately when the transfer window re-opens.

Liverpool have emerged as the favourites for the player's signature in the Italian press, with Roy Hodgson searching for a foil to Fernando Torres as the Reds look to strengthen their striking options.

The Anfield club has struggled at the start of the current season with a lack of firepower behind 'El Nino', and Liverpool appears certain to delve into their transfer pot in the New Year.

Owners NESV have reportedly given Hodgson £35 million to spend when the transfer window re-opens, and the Liverpool boss has highlighted an attacking player as his priority.

Peter Crouch, Mario Gomez and Carlton Cole are three other strikers linked with the Merseyside club, but Cassano's availability makes him a great option for Liverpool.

The former Fulham boss could face competition for the signature though, with the Metro reporting that Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini is also keen on the Maverick striker.

An Italian international with five goals in 19 caps, Cassano has top level experience with Roma and Sampdoria in Serie 'A', as well as Real Madrid in La Liga.

Liverpool 'Plot Sensational Double Swoop' After Hodgson Scouting Trip

Liverpool are allegedly preparing bids for PSV Eindhoven pair Ola Toivonen and Ibrahim Afellay.

According to The Mirror, Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson flew to Holland at the weekend to watch the duo in action against FC Twente and will meet with Liverpool owner John W. Henry to discuss signing the exciting talents.

Dutch midfielder Afellay is thought to be at the centre of a bidding war between several clubs - including Barcelona and Liverpool - while Sweden striker Toivonen was reportedly close to moving to Anfield during the summer.

Both players are only 24-years-old and £20 million is thought to be enough to land the pair, who will both fit with Liverpool's new ethos of investing in young talent.

Liverpool And Aston Villa Chase Ireland Centre-Back Sean St Ledger

Aston Villa will reportedly rival Liverpool to sign Preston North End centre-back Sean St Ledger during the January transfer window.

The 25-year-old has been an extremely solid presence for Preston over the last four years and has been rewarded with sixteen caps for the Republic of Ireland. St Ledger has been linked with a move away from Deepdale before, but moves to Middlesbrough and Celtic never materialized in the end.

The Daily Mail reports that both Liverpool and Aston Villa are looking to sign St Ledger. Preston may be forced to cash in on the centre-back and Liverpool assistant Sammy Lee has apparently been to watch him. Aston Villa scouts have also been monitoring St Ledger's progress with his international defensive partner Richard Dunne able to vouch for his ability.

St Ledger reads the game extremely well and is an extremely competitive player. Although not as big as some centre-backs, he is nonetheless strong, quick and a danger from set-pieces. Comfortable on the ball, St Ledger is also capable of playing at full-back. Intriguingly, the Daily Mail reports that St Ledger is a Liverpool supporter.